Slow Cooker Irish Bean and Cabbage Stew

Good morning! Hope you all had a terrific weekend. I’ve got a really full plate today (pun intended) so let’s dig in.

I thought a nod to Saint Patty’s Day would be appropriate this week, so for today’s Meatless Monday main I decided to go Irish. This delicious slow-cooked stew is even better than corned beef and is so filling and hearty, you’ll be able to pound green beer with the best of them. I found the recipe on FatFreeVegan.com, an amazing website run by Susan Voisin. Susan’s inspiring personal story (she lost over 100 pounds going vegan!) will impress, but it’s her artistry with food that truly captivates. Superb photography and absolutely stellar recipes, all without animal products or added fat, FatFreeVegan.com is a site to savor.

This stew is simple, inexpensive, supremely healthy and – most importantly – it’s delicious. Because your slow cooker does all the work (save for chopping) it’s a terrific dish for a busy day. Like today! I used Imagine Foods Organic Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth. It’s got such a fresh taste, not to mention beautiful color, at only 140 mg sodium per cup. The original recipe calls for white (great northern) beans; I substituted pinto because I adore the flavor, but you can use whichever you like. I wish I had fresh parsley for garnish, the bright flavor would be the perfect finishing touch, but as I said today’s already jam-packed. If you have some on hand, don’t skimp!

Prep vegetables and place into the slow cooker. Add the seasonings and barley and stir. (It may be a bit awkward, the cooker will be full.) Add 6 cups vegetable broth. Cover cooker and set to low. Cook 6 hours.

You did it again, appealed to my palatte. I must be leaning toward the vegan diet because the thought of corned beef turns my stomach. I want to cook the St. Patty’s Day meal to make this celebration special for the menfolk at my dinner table. Your bean and cabbage sharing will be a great substitue, especially when followed by my infamous Boston Cream Pie for dessert. Kate

Hah! We have paper lanterns hanging above the island in our kitchen and they show up in many photos. John got me another (much bigger) lantern for Valentine’s Day. It’s got a girl w/ a bird on her head. How appropriate, huh?! I want to find a lamp for it, but the only one I’ve seen so far has a very white cord. Won’t work against the very brown beams in the kitchen. Still looking.